Machine for fabricating pieces of lumber



April 23, 1957 G. C. BERGER MACHINE FOR FABRICATING PIECES OF I .UMBER Original Filed Oct. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheett l INVENTOR. GEORGE C. BERGER April 23, '1957 G. c. BERGER 2,789,598

MACHINE FOR FABRICATING PIECES OF LUMBER original Filed ook 9, 1948 5 Smets-sheet s 44 4.0-?.- u" l l 30 ,l f .ll ..1 L TUI "Bl 22 Il T l/ l/ v ,35| 29 29a 33 If zes/#d T 5o 56 55 25 l 1 F l 25 k57 Q4 ai 2| r 2| FIG.6 25

\\ y a LM INVENTDR. GEORGE C. BERGER A TT ORNE KY April 23, 1957 G. c. BERGER 2,789,598

MACHINE FOR FABRICATING P'IECES OF LUMBER original Filed oct. 9. 194:3` 5 sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. GEORGE C. BERGER A TTORNEVS G. C. BERGER MACHINE FOR FABRICATING PIECES OF I .UMBER Original Filed. Oct. 9, 1948 April Z3, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. GEORGE cEBc-.ER

ATTORNEYS April 23, 1957 G, Q BERGER 2,789,598

MACHINE FOR FABRICATING PIECES OF LUMBER Original Filed Oct. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 1.6

-e 50 l Il 86 lr 1+ n -JNVENTOR.

GERG c. BERGER A T TOPNEKT 2,78%598 -IMAcHinE-FOR mmucennemcrs er ,LUMBER George C. Berger,` E rskine,v-Minn.

Continuation p of application` Serial No. j-53,74, hOctober' 9, 1948- Ths yapplication ,Septsmber'14iz1953vnl `.This invention relatesto a machine fory fabricating the ends of pieces of lumber and for drilling theintermediate portions thereof tqprepare-the lurriberforl rapid .assembly and joining to form the-walls of a building.

'While not restricted to; the machine i s particularly"adaptfedto prepare and fabricate lumber for assembly `ii-ipre.-

fabricated wall sections.

This `application is a continuation/of application,y

453;734, filed October 9, 1948, andnowfabandoned.

commercial machinefofv the class described employing r an elongated longitudinally.extensible piecefholdingcarriage `mounted for linear-transverse reciprocationjand cooperatively; associated with two setsof-cutter toolsfor working, upon the ends of anpiecev of lumber to -fabricate in ,oneend, anintermediately disposedfmating groove and to -fabricate` substantially` simultaneously inl the-other end, a` ccmplementarily shaped mating tongue,- ALwithv 'ad- -justable power: drill .elements for ldrilling "thel'piece at spaced points during a singlereciprocationfofthefvvork carriage.

mfurther object is .thevpriovsionf of 'a power=ldrliven antomatic machine ofthe class; described whereinlready andsim-ultaneous` adjustment ist obtained; for: cutting and groei/ingpieces; of, lumber varying within af-.gi-eatrange` of-'le-ngth and whereby the spaced; relation:of-fthe drilling elements may be quickly varied within a widejrange. i :`S tillanother ,object isutherprovisioniof a machine'fof the class described -wherein/a ypiece of lumbermay simultanonslyiwith other cuttingoperations bep-cutto length and the lengths Imaterially `varied as desired during?silbsequent operations ofthe machine, thefppiece offlurnber in each case being held-rigidlyand v4positively"thrc/Jflrrgh the entire operation for cl'ose tolerancecutting. f 1-Tl1ese andV other objects and advantages of*` A inyenl` ventrion will morefully appear` Avfr om Athe folloyviri@description made in connection with the accompanying drawings vwherein like reference `characters, refer; to;A similar parte .throughout the `Several vieu/Sand .inrit/.Mehr

vVlig. I1 is a topplan- .View` `oiganernb d'nient,9i?-` my lumber fabricating machine;

. Fig, 2 lis a front elevation ofl the. same;

3 is a verticalrsectionstakenalong .the'I-line-L-S of 'Fig. 1 y showing the cutter mechanism:fon-operating upon-the right hand end of .aipieceand thedriving means forthe,work-holdingcarriage; l v 4 'Y '1Fig.4vis a vertical-section taken o'n'lthelline fof Figurel 4looking `in thedirection of the arrows -and, how;` ing the saw and cutter mechanism for eperati g upon thefle'ft hand er'idvot -a -pieceof lumber and'- theadjiizstable United States Patentf() ,for securing one of the drill units in a inonutixng'ot` such mechanism upon a horizontal table or carriage;

-FigfS is `a detail section taken onthe line 5-7-5 of AFig". 1, looking in the directionV of the arrows,- showing jthe Aclamping mechanism for retaining the adjustable tool- 'supportingtable in any one of an infinite adjusted positions;

number of andvshowing the right hand end of the work-holding :carriage-1 and-the piece-retaining mechanism associated Jtherewith;

'tFigJ Swis a kfront end elevation showing one of the Lrollingfsu'pports for the `'work-holding carriage;

r.:`Fig."9-(:Sheet A2)lis a diagrammatic perspective view -illustratingthe control mechanism for operation or re- ',ciprocationl of the work-holding carriage;

mfFig; l01is aidetail,` verticalsection taken along the line 10-`10-of Fig. l showing the clamping mechanism desired adjusted .pesitiom Figa11:'(Sheet4)v is a fragmentary top plan view show- :ingr-thelongitudinally extensible work-holding carriage; fffPig.;l2 is aicross section takenon the line 12-12 of Eig. llfshowing a vholding clamp on4 said work carriage for engaging avpiece'of lumber; .-llfiigwlg` isa cross section'taken on the line 13--13 of .Fig- 11;

Fig. 14l is a detail perspective view showing an adjnstablestop or abutment block adaptedv to be applied mythe ,central7 supporting bar of the work holder for facilitating certain fabrications on short pieces such as the forming orvcorner mating structure in the ends; Fig.* y 15T is a fragmentary perspective view showing a ,piece --of lumber vwhich has been fabricated by my machineyafter a preliminary planing operation forming lon- -gitudinalribsand grooves in the top and bottom sides thereof'gand Figa 16` is a. fragmentary plan View showing a somewhat diierentembodimentjof my invention wherein the rotary cutter toolsv at the right'hand end of the machine are-arranged differently than in the form first described and wherein the rotary saw is also employed at the right hand end'of the machine to square the piece and cut the righnhand `end for length; and

.,Figy `1,7 is afragmentary perspective view showing a suitable Aform: f corner constructionwhich may be fabricated on my machine.

Referring vnow to the embodiment of my machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to-14 inclusive, I providean elongated, upstanding. rectangular frame, indicated as an entirety by the letter F and constructed for the mostpart of metal ,s anglebars .with horizontal transverse bars 1S at the basewspacedapart throughout the length ofthe frame andvvith .upstandingangle bars119 welded or otherwise rigidly/ lse'cured tobars. 18 yandvextending at the ends of thelmachineaand with a pluralityof shorter angle bars 2`0 1spaced `apartas shown in Fig. 2, .at the front and rear sidesof y:the machine, in connecting longitudinal base bars 21 with upper longitudinal barsA 22.

V The frame is suitably braced by horizontal angle beams and AAby supporting rails for the work-holding carriage f (laterzto be described) and also by several `series'of crossedrvbrace rods, 23 .disposed at the front and rear s isjes. Qtlh machina "Atwthe top ofthe. frame, transverseanglegbeams-Zfi V lwelded -or otherwise rigidly 4secured to the corner posts of the frame and interconnect the upperulongirtudinal bars 22.

In the embodiment illustrated, power transmission mechanism and cooperating cutter mechanism are mounted in stationary relation at the right hand end ofthe machine while automatic tools for operating upon the left hand end of a piece of lumber are supported upon a heavy adjustment table T slidably mounted for nadjustment longitudinally of the machine, upon a pair of longitudinally disposed shaft tracks 25 which are supported in horizontal, parallel relationship at an intermediate height on frame j I provide an elongated, longitudinally extensible workholding carriage which extends longitudinally 'of the machine and is reciprocated preferably by powermeans through a linear pathtransversely of the frame. This carriage is supported upon a pair of parallel transverse T rails 26 and and secured to the right end of the frame structure and the other of which, 27, is supported at its ends from suitable upstandng bolsters 23 fixed at their lower ends to the top of the adjustable tool mounting table T. The tops of tracks 27 and 26 are disposed in a horizontal plane a short distance above the top members22 of the main frame. Suitable wheel and guide roller mechanism is applied to each of the tracks 26 and 27 to sup- 27, one of which, 26, is supported from I port the respective ends of the work carriage platform y' and facilitates horizontal reciprocation The wheel and guide roller mechanism. illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 7 and 8 comprises a generally rectangular mounting plate 29, having journaled between the/bifurtance beyond the side edges of the track and having journaled therein, by stub shafts 31a, underlying guide rollers 31 which engage against the ilanges of the T rail or track. Two sets or pairs of side rollers 32 are journaled on depending vertical stub shafts secured to the bottom of plate29 and engage the respective side edges of the track 26 to prevent lateral displacement of the mounting plate 29 during its travel.

or contractible with the adjustment of the tool mounting table, I provide a work or piece-supporting platform, as shown in Figs. l, 11, 12 and 13, comprising a central rigid bar 38, longitudinally grooved at its side portions for slidably interlitting (for portions of its length from the ends thereof inwardly) two sets of spaced parallel rigid bars 39. Each pair or set of bars 39 are rigidly interconnected in predetermined, spaced relation by a' spacer block 40 and the outer ends of bars Y39 extend a short distance beyond said spacer block to afford pintles for hinged connection by a pin 41, with a horizontallug 2% fixed to the mounting plate 29. The top surfaces of the bars 38 and 39 of my carriage platform, lie in ay common horizontal surface and serve to support Vthe piece or pieces of lumber to be fabricated. I provide means on my carriage to retain and clamp theVv piece or` pieces of work to be fabricated. The specific means diS-y mounted on the the greater parts of the lengths of bars 39.

longitudinal rib on that piece.

closed, is particularly applicable to lumber constructed substantially in accordance with the teaching of my Patent No. 2,112,861, granted April 5, 1938, as shown in Figs. 7 and 15 of the drawings. This lumber is formed in a planer which leaves the outer side thereof beveled with respect to the rear, vertical side and has formed on the top thereof, a pair of widely spaced longitudinal ribs while at the bottom of the piece, a pair of complementary grooves are formed therein, for receiving the upstandng ribs of the similar piece below. My piece-retaining mechanism, as shown, includes a rigid abutment flange 42 upstandng from the rear members 39 of the carriage platform and extending longitudinally thereof for abutting the rear edge of the piece of lumber when it is turned on its side for fabricating in my machine, as shown in Fig. 7. The abutment anges 42 have, in the form shown, interlocking ribs 42a which are adapted to intert the longitudinal lower groove on the piece of lumber carried. Y

O n the rear longitudinal edges of the rear bars 39 of the carriage platform, inclined, upstandng abutment ,flanges 43 are provided extending longitudinally through In addition to the abutment flanges 42 and 43 for retaining the work pieces on the carriage, I provide a clamping dog (see Fig. 7) adapted to engage the rear edge of the workpiece when swung upwardly, and with the particular lumberk referred to, adapted Vto interlock above the lower Clamping dog 44 has an offset camming arm 44a which is pivoted at the intermediate portion of the dog to a lug 29d, attached to the rear of the appropriate carriage mounting plate 29. Camming arm 44a upon operation of the carriage, rides upon the top of one of the carriage tracks and is main- .tained thereby in full line, raised position, as shown in Fig. 7, causing the tooth of the dog to engage the piece o f lumber, as shown and to retain the same in cooperation with the abutment ange 42. With my work-holding carriage as described, a piece or two or more pieces of lumber are moved laterally and horizontally across the top of machine frame and are then reciprocated in linear khorizontal movement to the initial or starting position atrthefront side of the machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, an end abutment or guide element 45 is secured to the right hand end of the frame at the top, having a rounded exterior for engaging the right hand end of a piece of lumber mounted in the carriage. The right hand end of the lumber is fabricated in its lateral horizontal travel, by a cooperating pair of cutter heads or dadoes 46 and 47, spaced apart and disposed at `top, and (Fig. 3) bottom portions of the path of the work reciprocating carriage. As shown, the cutter mechanisms comprise an independent electric motor in each instance, the bases of said motors being adjustably mounted upon platform supports 46a and 47a respectively, which are atlixed in inclined relations to an upstandng, rigid frame 48 mounted at the right hand end ofthe machine frame some distance inwardly from the front ofthe machine. The upper cutter mechanism 46 has its base secured to the platform 46a declined from front torear from the horizontal while the lower cutter mechanism 47 has its base adjustably mounted on the plat# form 47a inclined from front to rear from the horizontal.

' arrows, that the dado heads 46 By adjusting the positioning of the motor bases on platforms 46a and 47a, the spaced relation between the' from thetop of frame 48.

i Tools for fabricating vthe left handend of a piece of lumber are mounted upon the adjustable supporting table T (see Figs. l and 4)'. As shown, a disc saw 50, de?

tachably affixed to the armature shaft of an electric motor 51, is suitably mounted on the forward portion of table T through the motor base, said saw being disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of the workholding carriage and the board or boards affixed thereto. Rearwardly of the saw 50, a grooving dado head 52 is disposed in horizontal position affixed to the vertical armature shaft of an electric motor 53 which has an end base 53a secured to the top of table T at the rear portion thereof. The horizontal position of dado head 52 may be adjusted by spacer collars 52a disposed therebeneath. The dado head is disposed in the path of travel of the left end of a piece of lumber to be fabricated and is of a cutting width to groove said end of the piece or pieces to a Width of slightly greater than the width of the tongue formed by a fabrication of theright hand end of the piece through dado heads 46 and 47. A shallow cylindrical guard housing S4 covers the top of dado head` 52 and has extending forwardly therefrom, a guard rail 54a which overlies the upper edge of disc saw 50.

The support table T which is slidably mounted on the heavy horizontal rails 25, may be mechanically adjusted longitudinally of the machine by suitable means such as the steering wheel windlass lcomprising a vertical drum 55 journaled between the lower arm of an L lug S6 and the lower side of platform T and upon which is wound at least two convolutions of a liexible cable 57, the ends of which are secured to the right and left hand ends of the machine frame. 'An upstanding crank handle 55a is affixed to the drum for convenient manipulation by the operator to apply torque to the drum and thus adjust the table T longitudinally on its supporting rods 25.`

Clamping means are provided for rigidly xing the table in an adjusted position. As shown (see Figs. 1 and 5), such clamping means comprise a pair of pivoted clamping elements 58 and 59 respectively, pivoted on horizontal bolts 60 disposed longitudinally of the frame and having arcuate jaws 58a and 59a, which engage and bite against portions of one of the rods or tracks 25. The clamping element 59 is provided with an inturned upper end 59k which is abutted by a horizontal screw 61 threaded in the upper end of a lug 62 having a wheel handle 61a for facilitating turning thereof. As shown, a pair of said clamping mechanisms are utilized, one adjacent each of the longitudinal edges of the platform. It will be noted that lengthwise adjustment of table T does not disturb the independent adjustment of the individual tools mounted thereon. lt is therefore possible to maintain or preserve the general adjustment of the cooperaty ing tools to a predetermined setting of the apparatus while quickly permitting adjustment for different lengths of lumber.

My machine is provided at the rear with a plurality of spaced power drills, adjustably supported from an inverted T track 63 which extends longitudinally of the frame at the rear thereof. As shown, each of the drills comprises a horizontally disposed motor 64 having a forwardly extending chuck 64a secured to the forward end of the armature shaft thereof in which the drill element 65 is detachably secured. The drill elements 65 of the several power drills are disposed in parallel horizontal relation, perpendicular to the work-carriage and the longitudinal edges of the piece or pieces to be fabricated. The motor 65 of each of the power drills, in the form shown, is provided at its top with a slide bracket 64b adapted to embrace the lower horizontal anges of the rail 63 and a clamp handle 66 screw threaded at its inner clamping end connected with an upstanding screw 64e at the top of the motor, said inner end overlying the rear flange of rail 63 for clamping effect thereon. The drill elements 65 are positioned medially in the path of pieces to be fabricated and are of a length to completely drill a piece of lumber during the reciprocation of the work-carriage. As has been previously stated, the longitudinally adjustable work-holdingcarriage is propelled in itsnre'jetilinear travel by the endless propelling chains 34 trained over idler pulleys 35 mounted adjacent the front of the frame and over driving pulleys 36 mounted at the rear;

which is connected for driving through a clutch mechf anism 71 with the elongated driven shaft 37. The driving sprocket 36 for propelling the carriage mechanism on cross rail 27 mounted on the adjustable tool-supportingy table T is keyed to shaft 37 for slidable adjustment thereon with, nevertheless, driving connection therewith.

The clutch mechanism 71 is of the general type used in the T-model automobile formerly manufactured by Ford Motor Company, consisting in a reversing gear drum as well as a forward gear drum opera-tively connected with the driven large gear 70 through conven-A tional transmissions. A clutch band (not shown) is mounted in each of the clutch drums of the mechanism 71 and when one band is tightened, shaft 37 is con-` nected for forward driving while when the other band is tightened and the first released, the shaft 37 is driven in the opposite direction for retracting the workholding carriage. In Fig. 9, mechanism for controlling the direct and reverse driving of shaft 37 is diagrammatically illustrated. Clutch mechanism 71 is shown in dotted lines with an operating arm 72a connected with the reversing clutch band for tightening and a second arm 72b connected with the forward driving clutch band for tightening. Arms 72a and 72b are fixed to a shift link 72 which is slidably mounted at the right hand side `of the frame in a suitable mounting and which extends horizontally, transversely of the frame. The forward end of link 72 is` connected by a bolt 72C with an intermediate point on an upstanding hand lever 73 which is fulcrumed at it-s lower end by a bolt to a lug 74. When hand lever 73 is pushed inwardly towards the front of the frame, itransverse control link 72 is similarly shifted, tightening the clutch band connected with arm 72b and causing the driving shaft 37 to be revolved in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 to movethe work-holding carriage with a piece of lumber thereon, inwardly, for the fabricating steps. holding carriage moves to approximate extreme inward position, it abuts a short lever arm 75 pivotally mounted on a fixed lug 75a supported by the frame, such abutment swinging the lower end of lever arm 75 in the opposite direction, shifts a horizontal lever arm 76, which is fulcrumed at its right end on a vertical pin 76a and which is intermediately connected with an upstanding rigid arm 72d xed to the shiftable control link 72. Through such connections, the control -link 72 is shifted to extreme outward position releasing the clutch band connected with the upstanding control arm 72b and tightening `the clutch band connected with the rearmost, upstanding arm 72a. ln the retracting or forward travel of the work carriage, means are provided for returning shiftable control link 72 and lever 73 to normal position to disconneet power from shaft 37. As shown, said means (see Figs. 9, l and 3) comprises a horizontally disposed short lever arm 77 with its left end mounted in the path of the right end of the carriage to contact the same in its. extreme outward travel and with its fulcrum 77a at the V central portion of the arm and with its right hand or. outer end connected by a link 78 with lever 73 to Lpull said lever forwardly 4slightly to neutral position.

When the workwhich in turn, abuts and rearwardlyv assauts ercenstruetieniteetherencls ;ira/entin.11,v is illustrated..

cial.: abutment attaehrnehtz-ter, y `Work Yearrings to f :nable thefmaehine. diforformine* suehfeorner censtrution. In this weohneeten, .it-,will 'befseen (Eie, -1.7 that thefend .ta xpiece otflumhere for :one wall., .as indicated by the nes, member C, doeshot extend to the "front of; the: abuttinewall s di-snosedfat right mieles there-- tofzenlemberfA Y. Therefore, in :Cutting earner.- Vmating greclesses; an onguesvin the corner-l ends of pieces of lurn4 here alternate .pierres twill be .acht vshorterfthan ythe other Diesenj In :Fia :14, -I. illustrate. an .end abutmentv attachment'eomprisihg a Uzelamp 8.6 which is.. adapted .to .work inteeniunctiontwith centralmemberof the work carrigg whi f adjustably retains an abutmentblocl; entail-relation.- unonthettop of member 38. and 1endet. abutment. bltckl,v as shown, conab mentftorzeneaeingtheend.of a piece .of in suchpositiong-v that thepposite end of.. that piece-.may be'ttor milled -fby theadado head 52 to produeg thegreeess or-'rabbetyshown in;,F-ig. 17. An auxiliary and sh01 abutment bloekp Slaishingedly conneoteds- Wth abutment; block 81, as shown by a hinge 82 hayingits `pintleor. axisdisposedjust rearwardly of therabutnrentyedge. ofA the. block il- The, hinge. Vconstruetion `is* such. that block 814 may be swung 'downwardly'rush against the; top face of the horizonta1 beam.

34th-wh th.

.erebythe left handedge ofblock 81a constitutes b trnent-,for block Sla maybe swung upwardly ac wardly againstthetop of the. main abutment 8 ...enablethe left; hand edge of block Eil-tov cons. .mentheabutment elementiorV oneend. ofy a piece. Qfglumhen@ Operation.

' 1n*usetb,e machine yis rst, set by adjustment of the indrividualcutters 46 and 47 at the fixed end of the apparatus and'of.the cutter 52 with respect to saw 50. on table The entire tool-supporting table Tisjthen adjusted longitudinally to cut and fabricate pieces. of lumber atA the desired length or lengths and the drill units 64 are adjusted and set upon their supporting hori zontaltracl; 63'5for spacing of the drill elements, 65 as desired'. One or more pieces of lumber (depending upon the vwidth of the work carriage) are then applied betweenthe anges 42' and 43 of the work carriage and therclutch mechanism for drivingthe carriage is engaged bymanuallyswingingthe lever 73 forwardly. Theworlr-- carriagel is then propelled towards the rear of the ma-A chine. by chains 34 driven from the shaft 37, causing therighthand end or ends of the pieces to be pressed by the* rotary cutters or dado heads 46' and 47',V itbeing understood that in kthe rnachine illustrated in Figs'. l to 1`4; "one end of the piece or pieces has, been cut and squared and is placed in abutment against the stop orabut-ment@ at the rghthand'end of the machine. Y As the-work carriage moves rearwardly, the left hand end offrthe-piecer or pieces *carriedy are first cut to length by their 'disc'fsaw V5'0andirnmediately thereafter, milled by |thedado head 52. to formcentral grooves or channels of very-slightly4 greater widththan thetongues formed by the-ftwoifeooperatingdado headstand L$7- The. Piece o rgpie ystur the -work carriagel in the, rearward movementofntghecarriage, are engaged and bored by the drill elements:655kautomaticallyv forming holes in the pieces atthe des ired spaced .points therein. As the Work carrivage approaches, extremerearward or inward position,

the,.. upnerarm .ofthe upstahdihg. lever 7S is engaged. causing'*its lowerarmJY below thefulcrum '75a to swing forwardlyfagainst the horizontal trip lever 76, which is pivoted atdits right hand' end-upon the'rame; The rear movement 'Qfjtrip' lever '76 retracts the clutch control" link'-72rreleasing` the clutch mechanism 7l' previouslyl engaged and simultaneously engagingY they reverse 1 clutch mechanisrnwhich causes-propelling? chains 341m bez-driven:

w. yf. nt oftthefmaehiaerreturningtthe rame; forward .-postiorr,l the. Carriage.

engages the ef eendffof fthehorigontalz1ever 77 atfvthe.

right handrem@ 0f-.the1maehine sensing the Opposite or right hand; arrn fUthat-.lleverl to :be: moved rearwardly ansifthrhueh lin i ti.; torull. -themanual Control lever 73 fforwatdlyta s1iehtf.distause,into neutral position,

therebyprerentina damage -to fthe Weth holding carriage in the. event of carelessnesspnthe.part of the operaton;

Attentisniscall dt clam inefthe lum ethee meansfor additionally t or) piece;rigidly4 upon the work edele. eff the-p'ietre throat: with there@ surface-@filth Whilewirny machine ,is nmotwayglimitedin itsuse to theendiabreatim the designshown Fig, l 5, 1t is particularly adapted for fabrication '..offsuh 4pieces ormembers A which have previouslybeehproeessed in a planing machine t0 provide altthe upheredgesthereot, longitudinal-ribs 84 which are adapted tol-be .seatedlincorresponding `grooves 85- formed in the. bottom-of the*l piece of lumber to be .applied thereabove;` Suchgpieces, oflumber,A,-which when fabricated in` myirnproved machinezfarye disposed on their sides in theworlr c rriage,-, as shown in Fig. 7, with the inclined.

of theseveral drillgimotors 64 may be varied within aY wide rangee as-desircei forthe production of holesof lumber to betfabricated.

It will-further` be noted that slidable adjustment of the tool-supporting,carriage; T upon its rails 25, automatically adjusts they lengthl of the workh'0lding carriage through sliding relation between the outer bars 39 and the central bar 38.

With `machine ,r.pi eces of lumber may be very quickly andaccuratelyfabricated at the ends thereof, Ato formv in one end of each board, a tongue or tenon and to simultaneously form in the :opposite end thereof,l :a mating groove While during thelatter portion of the inward operation of the.work-holdingicarriage, the board is drilled in a predetermined number of points to provide spaced apertures. in the desredrelatiom Itwilll `further be seenythat lwherrcorner pieces are. requiredforgjunlcture in'two opposing walls, with my abutmenttnjiechanisrn shown in Fig. 14, a piece of lumber may` beheldinproper, relation withadjustment of the toolfsupporting ,table..'1` to fabricate corner joining ends 0f slightly;diierentlengths, as required- I nFig.16, aplan view of a slightly diferent embodi rnent .of rnyinvention is illustrated, which is preferred where-lumberis .employed which has not been previously cut at one endor miteredzat 90 degrees to the length thereof. The corresponding parts of the machine in Fig., 16 arenuurheregd'sinrilarlyto those illustratedin the form trstdescribedfwhich.isillustratedin Figs. lto 14 in elusiveat theright hand'end ofv the machine, is dispensed with and `in place. thereofiga diaasaw 86is employed in vertical relation,k xedas ;shown, .tofthe v.end ,oiL the armature shaft of 'a motor:- .8,'/',l whichis. -adjustably vsupported upon trans-f.

verserbarsig Avtired toxthe right hand portion ofthe machine. frameand ia'djacen-tthe top,A thereof, Saw861is positionedwithfrelation.- to the upper-.dado head 46 to; acounormativa- Whieh nGl-udes the @M -Oper. rustinte ahutmehtwiththe rear upstandins.

a dri ingMofpiecesof lumber of Ist-Figvv16,.the abutment element or roller .45..

rately cut the right hand end of a board at right angles to the longitudinal edges thereof and along a line which is positioned with reference to the dad-o head 46 so that the upper and lower surfaces of the cut piece of lumber may be abricated to leave a central tenon at the right hand end of the pieces treated. At the same time that the right hand end of the piece or pieces of lumber are cnt by saw S6, the left hand ends of said pieces are cut to length by the saw 50 mounted on the tool-supporting table T.

lt will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for forming consecutively a plurality of completed, interlocked construction units of predetermined structure comprising in combination, a supporting frame, guide means formed on said supporting frame, an elongated extensible piece-holding carriage mounted for lateral reciprocation in said guide means in a single plane transversely of said frame and having abutment and clamping means adapted during forward and rearward reciprocation thereof to firmly support pieces of lumber of varying lengths medially of the ends thereof, cutter mechanism mounted adjacent one end of the supporting frame and positioned in the projected pathway of one end of a piece of lumber disposed rigidly in said piece-holding carriage to operate upon said end 1n the guided travel of the carriage, a tool-supporting member mounted for longitudinal adjustment on said supporting frame, said tool-supporting member having powered tool means mounted thereon and positioned in the projected pathway of the other end of said piece of lumber in the forward guided movement of said carriage to cut said piece of lumber in predetermined dimension, and power drill means mounted medially of the respective cutter mechanism and tool means and aligned with the projected pathway of said piece of lumber and adapted to intercept the same during the forward travel of the piece-holding carriage, whereby said extensible piece-holding carriage, irrespective of the selected length of the piece of lumber, will maintain the piece of lumber in rmly supported relation along its length during a single reciprocating pass of the carriage for cutting the ends of the piece of lumber and for bearing drilling relation against the power drill means at the end of each pass.

2. A machine for forming consecutively from pieces of lumber a plurality of completed, interlocked construction units `of predetermined structure comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a rst guide track fixed transversely of the length of said supporting frame, a tool-supporting table mounted on said frame and adjustable longitudinally thereon, rotary tool cutting means supported on said table and adjustable therewith, a second guide track secured to said table and in parallel relation with said rst mentioned fixed guide track, an elongated extensible piece-holding carriage mounted across said guide tracks for lateral reciprocation in a single plane transversely of said frame, said extensible pieceholding carriage having abutment and clamping means adapted to iirmly support pieces of lumber of varying lengths medially of the ends thereof, cutter mechanism mounted on the supporting frame adjacent the xed irst guide track and positioned in the projected pathway of one end of such a firmly supported piece of lumber during guided travel of the carriage, said rotary tool-cutting means on said tool-supporting table being positioned in the projected pathway of the other end of the piece of lumber for operating thereon in the same guided travel of the carriage, said extensible piece-holding carriage, irrespectvie of the selected length of the piece of lumber, maintaining the same in firmly clamped relation for simultaneous and reproducible cuts at each end of each piece of lumber.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 395,526 Totman Ian. l, 1889 396,763 Penfield Ian. 29, 1889 554,152 Southard Feb. 4, 1896 560,234 Rockwell May 19, 1896 796,095 Wattie Apr. l, 1905 1,461,919 La Malta e July 17, 1923 1,464,020 Anderson et al. Aug. 7, 1923 1,756,296 Madsen Apr. 29, 1930 1,761,096 Tower June 3, 1930 1,765,987 Marion June 24, 1930 1,968,091 Nash July 31, 1934 2,510,820 Hermanson `Tune 6, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 147,875 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1931 

